


Reactions

by Athene



Category: Tales of Xillia
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-06
Updated: 2014-11-06
Packaged: 2018-02-24 09:31:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2576651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Athene/pseuds/Athene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wingul confronts Gaius over his real name.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reactions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RollingTomorrow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RollingTomorrow/gifts).



> For RollingTomorrow, who gave the prompt of "changed names."
> 
> As a matter of preference, I'm using the Japanese names for Gaius and Wingul (Arst and Lin), as opposed to their localized names (Erston and Li Ying).

“Arst Outway.”  
  
Wingul pronounced the name carefully, stressing it in the same way he had heard it said in the mess. To Gaius’ credit, he did not startle when he heard Wingul; he simply drained his cup of tea and looked up from the map splayed across his lap. His face was like stone as he met the younger boy’s gaze, as if his eyes alone could answer the question as to where he had heard his real name.  
  
“One of your clansmen slipped up the name while drunk.” Wingul offered the explanation while simultaneously rolling up a scroll he had been referencing. “He was sternly reprimanded.” When the silence continued, he flicked his hair out of his eyes idly. “We can leave it at that.”  
  
If anything, Gaius’ frown seemed to deepen. “You have no questions?”  
  
“Of course I do.” Several years and more than a foot’s difference between the boys did nothing to temper the way that Wingul regarded Gaius; after he had settled into the Taurus camp, Wingul constantly tested his limits around the young leader. “But they are largely irrelevant to the campaign.”  
  
Gaius said nothing in reply, his eyes straying to the closed flap of his tent. While they were being quiet at this time of night, the mentioning of his real name had increased his wariness. Taking notice, Wingul sighed and sat up enough to pour more tea for both of them. “Are you going to be this high-strung the rest of the night? I wouldn’t have mentioned it in the middle of planning if I had thought you would focus on it this much.”  
  
Was he that tense? He held his breath for a moment and then released slowly, accepting the cup that was passed back to him. “It’s a name that I haven’t heard in several years.” But more than that… “Do not lie so blatantly to me. You did that on purpose.”  
  
Wingul’s silence was a concession in itself, and he put down the teapot to take his own drink in hand. “I wanted to see how you would react. It’s important to know how you would respond to hearing that particular name before you come across it in a public space.” He sipped at his tea while watching Gaius’ eyes narrow. “Don’t look at me like that. The way you tensed up was obvious. If I was anyone else, your name and origins would be reaching all of the other soldiers by now.”  
  
Gaius was in no mood to feel gratitude towards his strategist; he instead turned his attention back down to his map, almost stubbornly not acknowledging Wingul again. Between the map and his tea, he could certainly act preoccupied for a while.  
  
A very short while, at least.  
  
Having set down his own teacup and closed the short distance between them, Wingul emphatically plucked cup and map from Gaius’ hands and set them off to one side. He met Gaius’ bright eyes with a challenging look, resolutely dropping onto his lap without so much as a verbal warning.  
  
“You know that I’m right.” Wingul braced his knees against the older boy’s sides, his gaze growing more intense when Gaius dared to try looking away. “Where is your resolve? If you continue acting this way simply because of your _name,_ I am within my rights to cut you down immediately.”  
  
 _“Lin.”_  
  
They glared at each other despite being so close together, noses practically touching as Wingul refused to budge from his perch. He wasn’t sure whether Gaius had used his real name to make a point or out of anger, but he wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of a visible reaction either way.  
  
 _“Arst.”_ His eyes strayed off for a split-second. “And just now your brow twitched.”  
  
A grunt of disapproval escaped Gaius at that, but he leaned back to put some of his weight on one hand—a concession instead of an attempt to escape. Wingul followed to brush his lips against the corner of his mouth.  
  
“I’m– sorry.”  
  
Wingul scoffed, pulling away enough to meet his eyes again. “That I found out?”  
  
“That you found out as you did.” A reluctant sigh passed his lips, uncharacteristic even when they were alone like this; it was uncommon for either of them to apologize outright. “It’s not just my goals at stake.”  
  
“You can apologize by remembering what you just said whenever you hear that name.” The kiss that Wingul pressed against Gaius’ frown was firmer than the last one. “Now calm yourself. We’ll work on that reaction of yours.”  
  
There was something about the look in the older boy’s eyes that told Wingul there was more than just a name and former patriarchy on his mind, and for a moment he wondered if he had missed something. He made a mental note to himself to research if there were any remnants of the Outway tribe beyond what had become known as Taurus.  
  
“Arst Outway.”  
  
Gaius blinked, that vaguely concerned look in his eyes replaced by surprise at the distinctly gentler way Wingul spoke. He secured his free arm around the other boy’s waist, watching him test the name and stretch the syllables experimentally.  
  
“It’s a nice name.”  
  
The next time they kissed, Wingul felt Gaius’ lips curl into a smile.

**Author's Note:**

> It was fun having Wingul so forward and … well, pushy. Considering the possible time frame for the story, the two could really be considering "young men" (especially Gaius), but "boys" was chosen to reflect that this is taking place quite a bit in the past.


End file.
